Baren Digest                Friday, 27 June 2003        Volume 23 : Number 2276


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From: Daniel Dew <ddew#tampabay.rr.com>
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 09:08:01 -0400
Subject: [Baren 21949] Re: Solving a printing problem 

I have had similar problems as well, usually though not little small areas,
but larger ones.
For all you "seasoned" printers out there;
What is the most economical and sure fire method of making sure the surface
is "perfect" before the drawing and carving begins?

d. dew


> From: Jan Telfer <jtelfer#iinet.net.au>
> Subject: [Baren 21948] Re: Solving a printing problem
> 


> 
> THE PROBLEM -  It is only a circular section of about half a centimeter
> or 3/8ths of an inch, that would not print from the block to the paper
> - so insignificant really but it really "bugged me"!


> 
> Jan



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From: ArtfulCarol#aol.com
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 11:01:27 EDT
Subject: [Baren 21950] Re: Hummmmmmmmm! 

John Furr,
Thanks for the saga of the table/bench and  to everyone involved in that 
project.  What fun...

Can I have my square back because I have a better idea?  (Just kidding!!)

How characteristic of you people. You are real artistes and are my 
celebrities.

With SWS---Summit Withdrawal Syndrome
Carol/ NY

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From: Mike Lyon <mikelyon#mlyon.com>
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 10:07:12 -0500
Subject: [Baren 21951] Re: Hummmmmmmmm! 

At 09:24 PM 6/25/2003 -0500, Sue S. wrote:

>A quick question though.  What happened to the idea of printing the table?
>And perhaps someone should explain the chain of events leading up to the
>table.


Hi, Sue!  Congratulations on completing your block!  There are lots of pix 
of the table and prints pulled from it here: 
http://www.barenforum.org/summit/Scrapbook/index.htm (near the end of the 
page -- if you have a slow connection...  be patient!)

More pix of the table being printed here: 
http://homepage.mac.com/barebonesart/PhotoAlbum2.html

- -- Mike

PS  Someone else will have to complete the story, as I was let in a bit 
'late'...  Aimee Youmans found a table/bench in someone's trash and she and 
others hauled it back to the studio as a thank you gift to me for hosting 
the Summit.  Everyone took (secret from me) turns carving the top, and it 
was presented to me Saturday evening.  VERY COOL!  THANK YOU ALL!!!  I 
didn't have any paper large enough to cover the top, so I brought down some 
Mulberry and brushed up the top with sumi and Dave and I laid down a couple 
sheets of paper a bit overlapped and I printed with my trusty old murasaki 
baren.  We printed an edition of...  TWO -- as after the second print I had 
worked up enough of a sweat to drip on subsequent prints and had to 
stop.  THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU one and all.  Haven't a clue what to 
do with table and prints at this point, but I'm sure something good will 
come to me soon!


Mike Lyon
mailto:mikelyon#mlyon.com
http://www.mlyon.com  

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From: Mike Lyon <mikelyon#mlyon.com>
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 10:45:04 -0500
Subject: [Baren 21952] Surfacing a plank 

At 09:08 AM 6/26/2003 -0400, you wrote:

>I have had similar problems as well, usually though not little small areas,
>but larger ones.
>For all you "seasoned" printers out there;
>What is the most economical and sure fire method of making sure the surface
>is "perfect" before the drawing and carving begins?


Traditionally, the wood is hand planed using a relatively long and wide 
smoothing plane with a VERY sharp (and flat) blade -- this makes an almost 
perfect surface -- smooth and glassy -- in about three or four passes, each 
taking the thinnest shaving and made in different directions.  This 
requires a good tool, very sharp, and a lot of skill and experience to set 
up and use.  Hardware store planes are NOT up to this task!  Check out 
http://www.thejapanwoodworkercatalog.com/c/g8/p/004f.html for starters...

I can't answer to the 'most economical' part, but here's what I do:

I buy my lumber in wide planks and first run it through my Delta 12 1/2" 
thickness planer -- this does a much finer job than the surfacing machines 
at the mill which leave those chatter-like dips.  You have to be careful 
about grain orientation -- you want to run the boards so that the grain 
wants to help the knives rise out, not dig in (likely to cause chips).

Side View  --   correct:
- --->      Blade direction
//////     Grain rising

incorrect:
- --->     Blade direction
\\\\\\    Grain descending

If the board has a lot of figure (grain rises AND falls) then it's 
difficult to plane and I use my big drum sander to do the flattening.

Finally, I use a 5" random orbit sander with a hard disk to step from 100 
grit to 150 grit to 220 grit to 400 grit paper, moving the sander as if it 
were a litho stone levigator (very even figure 8 pattern from side to side 
and then end to end) in order to keep the board flat.  I sand with the 
visualization that I am keeping the board FLAT.  So I NEVER dig the edge of 
the tool in -- if there are deep defects (gouges, pockets, etc.) I ignore 
them during sanding and work around when laying out my design on the board.

My method is equipment intensive (but I already own the fancy woodshop, 
so...  why not?)...  If I weren't so lazy, I'd build or buy a large 
surfacing plane and learn to use it.  Cheaper and better results.  But I'm 
always in too big a hurry, I think!

After surfacing is complete (shiny and smooth -- you can hold the plank up 
to the light and verify its smooth surface), I cut to length and width 
desired, discarding 3" on each end where, no matter how hard I try (and in 
spite of advertising claims to the contrary), my Delta thickness planer 
snipes a bit.

- -- Mike

Mike Lyon
mailto:mikelyon#mlyon.com
http://www.mlyon.com  

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From: Barbara Mason <barbaramason45#yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 09:21:49 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 21953] flat blocks 


To tell if your blocks are flat, lay a metal straight edge over
the entire block on its side with a piece of notebook or similar
paper about 2 inches wide under it. The paper should pull evenly
under the straightedge over the surface of the block, holding the
straight edge down with even pressure. If the paper pulls too
easily, the block is low in that spot. Do this all over the
surface and you will see which spots are lower. This technique is
used primarily to see if lithography stones are flat and works
very well. If you have an indented spot, I think heat will raise
it and then resand with very fine sand paper.

Of course that very expensive electric planer would also
work....or those wonderful Japanese tools. Don't cut yourself.

I am still having a bit of summit withdrawal.....but need to get
into the studio and work so will just have to pull myself
together here...if you knew how many things I have committed to
in the next few months, you would run screaming for the hills. I
have no idea why I am still committing myself to projects that
requier 20 year old energy of a 58 year old body....a mystery for
sure. best to all,
Barbara



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From: G Wohlken <blueman#pantek.com>
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 12:25:37 -0400
Subject: [Baren 21954] dented wood 

Jan, I have discovered Shina and other softer woods, like basswood, do 
dent after a long edition,  particularly if you are applying a lot of 
pressure as in oil based printing.  Cherry hasn't seemed to dent as 
easily.  Thanks for telling us about your experience with this and how 
you resolved it.  Your idea to mark the spot with a paper underneath it 
is an idea worth trying.            

Gayle  

Jan wrote, regarding a small area on the wood which wouldn't print:


>...a little section of the woodblock that must have 
>had a dent in it, or a small valley so that the small barens were 
>getting into it, but not the larger ones and so from that enlightened 
>moment on all I had to do was put a finger or thumb pressure on that 
>spot from the back of the paper as I was barening the rest of the print 
>surface!!  I usually print with a piece of plain paper under the inked 
>block marked with the position of the block and the approximate 
>position of the paper  to take out some of the guess work so to isolate 
>the divet/dent/valley in the block I put arrows on the underlying paper 
>coming from the top and side of the paper (like you use in search in an 
>atlas or street directory for a specific spot) and that worked.
>
>I still can't see the divet/dent/valley of the block so it must be only 
>very slightly off the surface level.
>
>
>  >




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From: richard stockham <richardjs_2000#yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 09:37:58 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 21955] Re: Solving a printing problem 

- --- Jan Telfer <jtelfer#iinet.net.au> wrote:

> I thought I would like to share a "problem" that I
> had ...
> THE PROBLEM -  It is only a circular section of
> about half a centimeter 
> or 3/8ths of an inch, that would not print from the
> block to the paper ...


Jan,

Your problem is most likely your flat baren. Dave
showed me how my baren was flat and so I had less
power and control. The solution is to shim it with a
few circles of washi (of succesively smaller size)
between the coil and the backing. So when you re-cover
the baren with the bamboo sheath the baren surface has
a slightly rounded crest. The improved use is
impressive.  Did I mention I re-covered my baren half
a dozen times last week?

Good luck,

Richard Stockham
Birmingham, Alabama



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From: FurryPressII#aol.com
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 15:28:38 EDT
Subject: [Baren 21956] Re: Surfacing a plank 


Thanks for the info Mike.       Those of you who hand print either japanese 
or western have it easier than those who print with a press.     Press printing 
with a vandercook requires the block to be level and not warped.   You can 
make some corrections with make ready but only some.     If you hand ink but 
print with a press it is some what more forgiving.

Glueing together nerrow boards with the grain going the oppisite directions 
generally limites the amount of warpage.  On of the advantages of oil baised 
printing  it does not cause warpage but as i learned at the summit  water based 
ink can cause warpage but this can also be corrected.

John "furrypress" Center


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From: "Eva Pietzcker" <eva#pietzcker.de>
Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2003 05:23:27 +0900 (JST)
Subject: [Baren 21957] Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 

Dear Bareners,

after the summit, is somebody ready to answer a technical question?

I want to print an edition of 200 prints. I would prefer to use my ball 
bearing baren for that. What I'm asking is, if linden wood (shina 
plywood) is strong enough for that. Is it strong enough for 200 prints 
by using the classical cord-baren? Or, is there a better wood for 
printing an edition as high as this?

Thank you in advance.

Eva Pietzcker

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From: Mike Lyon <mikelyon#mlyon.com>
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 16:39:51 -0500
Subject: [Baren 21958] Eva Pietzcker Q re: wood strength 

>I want to print an edition of 200 prints. I would prefer to use my ball 
>bearing baren for that. What I'm asking is, if linden wood (shina plywood) 
>is strong enough for that. Is it strong enough for 200 prints by using the 
>classical cord-baren? Or, is there a better wood for printing an edition 
>as high as this?


Shina Plywood should be more than strong enough if you are printing 
reasonably large areas.  If you have very fine lines you will be likely to 
break the veneer away during printing (if you didn't already break them 
during cutting).  Especially breakable are individual narrow lines which 
stand far apart from one another.  Shina doesn't hold up very well for 
those (but should work OK for lines 1/16" wide or more).  For finer lines, 
a good close-grained cherry plank would be a better choice, quarter-sawn if 
you can find it (pretty difficult lately).  I have heard that hard maple 
works well, but I've never used it for a woodcut, so can't speak from 
experience.

Ball bearing barens (depending on how many balls and their diameter) are 
capable of producing quite a bit more pressure than traditional barens -- 
they are best used to print large areas of color with relatively little 
effort.  The balls seem to be quite capable of damaging fine lines in ANY 
wood if too much pressure is applied and there's sufficient carved area to 
allow the balls to drop against the edge of the line a bit -- the paper can 
also be bruised and torn.  Use less pressure than you imagine you should, 
especially over areas where there's been a lot of carving...

- -- Mike

Mike Lyon
mailto:mikelyon#mlyon.com



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From: Myron Turner <mturner#Ms.UManitoba.CA>
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 17:17:13 -0500
Subject: [Baren 21959] Re: Surfacing a plank 

The advantage of an etching press is that it is very forgiving of warped 
blocks.

At 02:28 PM 26/06/2003, you wrote:

>Thanks for the info Mike.       Those of you who hand print either 
>japanese or western have it easier than those who print with a 
>press.     Press printing with a vandercook requires the block to be level 
>and not warped.   You can make some corrections with make ready but only 
>some.     If you hand ink but print with a press it is some what more 
>forgiving.
>John "furrypress" Center



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End of Baren Digest V23 #2276
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